International
PREVIEW: All Blacks v Argentina
Saturday’s Lipovitan-D Rugby Championship between the All Blacks and Argentina in Christchurch will be the first time the sides have met in New Zealand since their 2018 Test in Nelson.
Match details: All Blacks v Argentina, Saturday, 27 August, 7.45pm NZT, Orangetheory Stadium, Christchurch.
Played: 33
Won: All Blacks 31, Argentina 1, Draws 1
Last time: All Blacks 36, Argentina 13, 18 September 2021
Referee: Nika Amashukeli (Georgia)
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WINNER’S REWARDS
Winning the second Test against South Africa brought reward for the starting XV who are unchanged for the first Test against Argentina. A neck injury suffered in training by first five-eighths Beauden Barrett has meant a change on the bench where Blues and Taranaki first five-eighths/fullback utility Stephen Perofeta will have the chance to become All Black No 1206 as first five-eighths cover for Richie Mo’unga. It would complete a big 12 months for Perofeta who was the NPC player of the year in 2021 in the Taranaki Championship-winning side for whom he scored 172 points.
TOUGH CHALLENGE
Argentine tighthead prop Joel Sclavi will face the All Blacks for the first time in his second starting appearance in what will be the sixth Test of his career. Left-wing Lucio Cinti is back in the side while Matías Orlando returns to second five-eighths to complete the three starting changes in the side from that which beat Australia 48-17 in San Juan. Seventy-Test veteran Guido Petti returns to the side after missing the Australian Tests, on the bench.
TACTICAL STORY
While Argentina lead the Championship, the statistics suggest they will face a different type of opponent when meeting the All Blacks. The New Zealanders are ahead of Argentina in goal-kicking (88.9 percent to 80), carries (105.0 to 80.0), carry metres (749.8 to 532.1), defenders beaten (24 to 11.5), passes (160.5 to 115), tackle percentage (88.2 to 84.6). Argentina have also made 143 tackles compared to 110 by the All Blacks and they have missed 22 compared to 13 by the New Zealanders. Argentina have managed 5.5 line breaks compared to New Zealand’s 4.5 and their lineout success is 93.1 per cent to 84.6 by the All Blacks. Argentina have conceded 9.5 turnovers while the All Blacks have 11.
FOZZY’S WORD
“It’s great for us to be able to return to Christchurch. The All Blacks have such a rich history here, and it’s exciting to build on that.”
STATCHAT
After their two losses against Ireland in July, the All Blacks need to beat Argentina to avoid suffering three consecutive losses at home – something that has never happened. The closest was three games without a win in 1949-50 – two losses to Australia and a draw with the 1950 British & Irish Lions.
TEAMS (caps in brackets)
All Blacks (* denotes debut): 1. Ethan de Groot (6), 2. Samisoni Taukei’aho (13), 3. Tyrel Lomax, 4. Sam Whitelock (136), 5. Scott Barrett (52), 6. Shannon Frizell (19), 7. Sam Cane – captain (82), 8. Ardie Savea (64), 9. Aaron Smith (107), 10. Richie Mo’unga, 11. Caleb Clarke (7), 12. David Havili (18), 13. Rieko Ioane (52), 14. Will Jordan (17), 15. Jordie Barrett (41).
Substitutes: 16. Codie Taylor (70), 17. George Bower (16), 18. Fletcher Newell (1), 19.Tupou Vaa’i (14), 20. Akira Ioane (16), 21. Finlay Christie (8), 22. Stephen Perofeta (*), 23. Quinn Tupaea (11).
Argentina: 1. Thomas Gallo (7), 2. Julian Montoya captain (79), 3. Joel Sclaivi (5), 4. Matias German (77), 5. Thomas Lavinini (71), 6. Juan Martin Gonzalez (13), 7. Marcos Kremer (49), 8. Pablo Matera (84), 9. Gonzalo Bertranou (42), 10. Santiago Races (24), 11. Lucio Cinti (9), 12. Matías Orlando (51), 13. Matías Moroni (62), 14. Emiliano Boffelli (43), 15. Juan Cruz Mallía (17).
Substitutes: 16. Santiago Socino (6), 17. Mayco Vivas (14), 18. Eduardo Beautiful (3), 19. Guido Petti (69), 20. Santiago Grondona (8), 21. Tomas Cubelli (84), 22. Tomás Albornoz (2), 23. Santiago Lamb (47).
6 Nations
IRFU Announces Return Of ‘A’ Interprovincial Championship
The Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) is delighted to announce the return of the ‘A’ Interprovincial Men’s Championship which will kick off next month.
The times and dates of the opening three rounds of the Championship before Christmas have been confirmed, with a similar points-scoring system as used in the URC. A Championship winner will be declared after the final round of matches in May and the IRFU will be commissioning a legacy trophy to mark the 150th anniversary celebrations.
Welcoming the news, IRFU Performance Director David Humphreys commented:
“We’re delighted to kick-start the Men’s ‘A’ Interprovincial Championship which will provide a host of players with a further means of developing in a meaningful competition. With the success of the Emerging Ireland Tours, coupled with the return of an ‘A’ international against England next year, it is vital that we continue to provide players at provincial and Club levels with opportunities to impress outside of the traditional URC and EPCR fixture windows.
“Discussions have been ongoing for some time to provide players with meaningful games and all four provinces are unanimously supportive of this competition. It is also great to see provinces taking matches around their local Clubs.
“It is anticipated that as the competition progresses over the coming seasons these fixtures won’t clash with Energia All-Ireland League fixtures for the most part, thus potentially also offering players from the Club game with an opportunity to impress.
“This competition will form another important part of the representative pathway from Energia AIL to URC levels for Academy players upwards over the coming seasons.”
The dates for the post-Christmas fixtures will be confirmed in due course. Ticket details will be confirmed via the respective provinces.
IRFU 150 Interprovincial ‘A’ Championship Fixtures:
Saturday, 16th November:
Connacht Eagles v Leinster ‘A’ (Creggs RFC, 1pm)
Friday, 22nd November:
Ulster ‘A’ v Connacht Eagles (Ballymacaran Park, 3pm), Leinster ‘A’ v Munster ‘A’ (Lakelands, 5pm)
Friday, 29th November:
Munster ‘A’ v Ulster ‘A’ (New Ormond Park, 3pm)
Friday, 20th December:
Ulster ‘A’ v Munster ‘A’ (tbc, 3pm)
Saturday, 21st December:
Leinster ‘A’ v Connacht Eagles (Ollie Campbell Park, 2pm)
Weekend of 28/29 December:
Connacht Eagles v Ulster ‘A’ (tbc), Munster ‘A’ v Leinster ‘A’ (tbc)
Weekend of 9/10 May:
Connacht Eagles v Munster ‘A’ (tbc), Leinster ‘A’ v Ulster ‘A’ (tbc)
Weekend of 16/17 May:
Munster ‘A’ v Connacht Eagles (tbc), Ulster ‘A’ v Leinster ‘A’ (tbc)
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6 Nations
Emerging Ireland Team For Final Tour Clash Against The Cheetahs Named
The Emerging Ireland team to face the Cheetahs in the final game of the three-match series in Bloemfontein on Wednesday evening (kick off 6pm Irish time, 7pm local time) has been named.
Leinster’s James Culhane will lead the team and he forms a new back-row alongside Harry Sheridan and Sean Edogbo, who makes his first start of the tour having come on as a replacement in the 29-24 win over Western Force on Sunday afternoon. Former Ireland Under-20 captain Evan O’Connell locks down with Darragh Murray, who featured in the opening 36-24 victory over the Pumas, with Alex Usanov named in the front row alongside hooker Stephen Smyth and Jack Aungier.
In the backline, Sam Prendergast starts his third game of the tour at out-half and he will be partnered by Cormac Foley, who featured as a second half replacements against the Australian Super Rugby side last time out. Connacht’s Hugh Gavin forms a midfield partnership with Hugh Cooney, with Ulster’s Zac Ward named in an exciting back tree alongside the returning Ben O’Connor at full-back and Andrew Osborne who moves to the right wing.
Munster loosehead prop George Hadden, who was called up to the squad last weekend, is set to make his first appearance after being named on the bench alongside Conor O’Tighearnaigh and Alex Soroka who started Sunday’s win. Hadden’s provincial team-mate Danny Sheahan provides cover once more at hooker, while Scott Wilson and Charlie Tector are also named on the bench for the Toyota Stadium clash alongside out-half Jack Murphy.
Looking ahead to the game, Emerging Ireland Head Coach Simon Easterby said: “When we set out at the beginning of our pre-camp in Dublin, we knew about the challenge of facing three sides in a week and we knew that every player in the group would have the opportunity to play his part. To a man each player has given his all so far and we are aiming to finish off the series with another positive performance on Wednesday.
The Cheetahs are a fiercely proud and strong side and it should be a lively game with a vocal home support behind them. It has been a fruitful past few weeks to date and we have learned a lot. While our performances haven’t been perfect, the players have embraced the challenge and played some brilliant rugby at times. The action has come thick and fast and we know that we have to be clinical in our execution. We will need to go up another level on Wednesday to get the performance we want and hopefully finish the tour on a high.”
Wednesday’s game will be broadcast once more on IrishRugby+ – click here.
Emerging Ireland (v The Cheetahs, Wednesday, October 9, 7pm local time, 6pm Irish time)
15: Ben O’Connor (UCC RFC/Munster)
14: Andrew Osborne (Naas RFC/Leinster)
13: Hugh Cooney (Clontarf FC/Leinster)
12: Hugh Gavin (Galwegians RFC/Connacht)
11: Zac Ward (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster/Ireland Sevens)
10: Sam Prendergast (Lansdowne FC/Leinster)
9: Cormac Foley (Lansdowne FC/Leinster)
1: Alex Usanov (Clontarf FC/Leinster)
2: Stephen Smyth (Old Wesley RFC/Leinster)
3: Jack Aungier (Clontarf FC/Connacht)
4: Evan O’Connell (Young Munster RFC/Munster)
5: Darragh Murray (Buccaneers RFC/Connacht)
6: Harry Sheridan (Dublin University FC/Ulster)
7: Sean Edogbo (UCC RFC/Munster)
8: James Culhane (UCD RFC/Leinster) (captain)
Replacements:
16: Danny Sheahan (Cork Constitution FC/Munster)
17: George Hadden (Garryowen FC/Munster)
18: Scott Wilson (Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster)
19: Conor O’Tighearnaigh (UCD RFC/Leinster)
20: Alex Soroka (Clontarf FC/Leinster)
21: Matthew Devine (Corinthians RFC/Connacht)
22: Jack Murphy (Clontarf FC/Ulster)
23: Charlie Tector (Lansdowne FC/Leinster)
Images & Content from Irish Rugby & Images © Inpho Photography
6 Nations
Emerging Ireland Squad Update As Three Players Return To Provincial Action
Following Emerging Ireland’s 29-24 victory over Western Force in Bloemfontein on Sunday three players, Gus McCarthy (Leinster), Sean O’Brien (Munster) and Jude Postlethwaite (Ulster) will return to their provinces.
The trio will leave South Africa on Monday afternoon and will be available for selection for their respective URC fixtures this weekend.
The squad will visit Heidedal Township this afternoon and will conclude the three-match series on Wednesday evening against The Cheetahs (kick off 7pm local, 6pm Irish time). That match will be live on irishrugby+
Watch the full match back here on irishrugby+
Check out the highlights from the win against Western Force below.
Images & Content from Irish Rugby & Images © Inpho Photography